HE'S perhaps the most consistent figure on the local racing circuit. And, although it wasn't the case during last week's Bermuda International Race Weekend, usually the oldest.

For 30 years, Ludwig Cann has delighted spectators with his obvious love of the sport and the comic relief he brings to it - most recently, an umbrella and a tassled, eye-catching T-shirt.

The 76-year-old competes in every meet, although his training is not typical of the average athlete; he eats whatever he wants and, outside of races, doesn't run at all.

"I don't train. I ride my bike and I sometimes walk, because I think fresh air is good, but that's it. Running is all a matter of mind strength. As long as I relax and focus, my body will do what needs to be done.

"If I put it in my mind that I have to run for four or five hours, I can do it. Some people train and train and train and by the time the race comes, they're injured. They can't do it. When I did train, the most I'd run was four miles at a time. If you can do that, you can run a marathon. It's all about strength of mind."

Although he was able to compete in both the 10K and the full marathon last weekend, the competitions proved a test for the usually healthy senior. He'd only recently undergone an operation to correct what can be a painful ailment.

"I had my kidney stones out," he said. "The doctor said I could run, but I had to run slowly and drink lots of water. I knew I would be slow and there would be people waiting for me to come in and getting mad if I took too long, so (on the day of the marathon) I left at 5 a.m. I thought that I would take too long if I started when the race officially began."

The weather conditions threw a damper on his plans, Mr. Cann said, and also gave him added weight to carry along the route.

"There was lots of rain that morning which didn't help me at all," he explained. "I had to carry my umbrella and the rain was so heavy the road was thick with pools of water and it was all going into my sneakers which made my feet hurt.

"(Because I started so early) I didn't have any water but by the time I reached Flatts Barritt's water truck had started delivering water to the stations and the driver came back and gave me some as well."

His arrival at the finish line was pretty much to his anticipated schedule, Mr. Cann added.

"I figured it would take me about 8 hours and I did it in 7 hours, 52 minutes. I know I can do better but since I was sick I knew I had to take it slow."

Mr. Cann began running at the age of 50, when he competed in one of the now defunct College Weeks races, then organised by the Department of Tourism.

"Someone asked me to compete. I worked construction days and bartended at night. I was pretty fit. The race began at 9 a.m. and went from Church Bay to near where Trimingham's is on South Shore.

"At 6.30 that morning, I got up to train. I ran for about half an hour.

"I was wearing old, beat-up sneakers, not the fancy ones we have today and by the time I was half way through the race, I was tired as anything so I stopped and rested. But then (a couple of girls) went by and teased me so I jumped up, continued racing and beat them to the finish."

His pace improved in the ensuing years, Mr. Cann said. Although he runs 13- or 14-minute miles today, at his best, his average pace was six minutes.

"(Last weekend) was the 27th year in a row that I'd done that 10K and the marathon," the athlete said. "I've done the Bermuda Marathon about 30 times. I do every single race that's held every year."

Although nearing 80, Mr. Cann said he had no plans to stop and had already signed on for his next race, the Butterfield and Vallis 5K.

"It keeps me pretty fit and relaxes my mind. And it feels so good once you finish."

Old-timers a runaway success - see Insight on page 5.